A Blessing in Disguise

We've been on a brand new schedule (again) for the past 2 weeks.

Just over 2 weeks ago, Sarah's gym coach informed us that she should be transferred to the Intermediate class for training. She had been training 8 hours a week with a China coach in an ultra-competitive group (Development), and making little progress. I had been frustrated watching her, and I think she was also frustrated with the endless drills and the tiring conditioning.

However, when we were told that she should go to the Intermediate class, training 4 hours a week, I was rather disappointed. My baby was not cut out to be a gymnast. I felt like withdrawing her altogether. Why was Sarah not making progress? Why was her work attitude so poor? Why couldn't she do the things that her classmates did?

So I prayed and spent time thinking it over, as well as comforting her (she was upset at the change and at the prospect of leaving her friends), and I read in Paul Tripp's Instructing a Child's Heart, that we must never make an idol of our children's talents, or even idolize ours or their dreams. It seemed that I had been doing this. So I was comforted by God's word, and then spent the weekend re-organising the homeschool schedule to fit in the new classes.

Hence, now, on Mondays and Thursdays, we're off by 8.30am for her 9 am class. 4 hours a week is half of what she used to spend on gym. But I still have to bring Ben for his 1 hour class where it used to coincide with Sarah's class. But after 2 sessions in this new class, Sarah is loving it all over again. And guess what, on her third class yesterday, she learnt new skills!!!!! Coach Nicole is from Perth, Australia. She's much more hands-on, and tells the girls what they can do to improve their form. It's not just drill, drill, drill, do a skill over and over again until your arms and legs can't carry you anymore. Sarah's progressing much more happily here. I'm happy. The stress of competition is not there. She gets proper coaching in a quieter environment (who does gymnastics at 9am in the morning but the Pri 1 and Pri 2 girls in the afternoon session?), and Thursday's class started with 2 of them last week, but will have an additional girl from this week.

Thank God that He knows best. Sometimes we think we know what we want for the kids. We're disappointed when it doesn't turn out the way we'd hoped. But the LORD will always take care of us and give us what is best. PRAISE THE LORD!!!

Back to the grind

We've been having our 2 week vacation.  That's why I haven't blogged.  During those 2 weeks, our schedule just went haywire, but it didn't really matter because there were no lessons to be done.  We only managed a visit to Ikea and another visit to the zoo.  

Today, we started Term 2, with a slightly tweaked timetable.  From the end of March, Sarah will be going to Prime Gym for 6 hours a week.  Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.  So I've had to reorganise the timetable and I was trying that out last week (without the lessons, of course).  

This term's goal is to be more on time, to get the kids to be more on time, to get myself to be more on time as well.  First day - pretty good.  Only Sarah took too long to do her Maths homework.

We're going to America!  At the end of this month.  So I've got to get ahead of the Scheme of Work, and bring some stuff there to do as well.  We want to bring the Botany book because of the possibilities that Bloomington in Spring would offer.  We'll be missing 3 weeks of school, and 9 gym sessions!  Sarah is looking forward to the trip.  The boys are clueless.

Gabriel has started walking independently.  He's so cute!  Looks like a zombie when he walks, with his hands uplifted.  He always has a broad and bright smile on his face when he's toddling about.  

I've got so much to think about these days - planning curriculum for the exemption documents for Compulsory Education, sorting the kids' clothes, making packing lists for the trip etc.  Don't have enough time!  Help!!!

I need much grace to get through the next 3 weeks.